Honours even in Whit duels

Photo: Picture by TIM BRADLEY.

TRIUMPH . . . for Greenfield bowler JP de Villiers and fieldsman Brandon Jacobs after they combined to grab the wicket of Saddleworth’s James Howard in Saturday’s clash at Well-i-Hole.

Cricket:

SPOILS were shared in the Whit derby double-header between leaders Saddleworth and Greenfield.

That meant Brian Lord's high-fliers lost their unbeaten record in the league after they succumbed by 52 runs at Ladhill Lane.

In a game reduced to 32 overs per side because of morning rain, hosts Greenfield managed 137. Mohammed Shakir took five for 65.

Deputy professional Christi Viljoen caused all sorts of mayhem in his previous appearance at the ground – he struck a club record 183 not out – but on this occasion he did the damage with the ball as Saddleworth were skittled for 85.

The Namibian all-rounder from Blackpool claimed four of the Saddleworth wickets to fall for 25 runs. Peter Gill was equally destructive with four for 20.

The bowlers were again in command in the reverse fixture at Well-i-Hole 24 hours later.

South African JP de Villiers of East Lancashire was employed as Greenfield's stand-in pro and ripped through the Saddleworth batting order to finish with seven for 30. Darren Shadford top scored with 40 in a total of 122.

The home side avoided a second loss in as many days as paid man Imran Aslam (four for 39) and Steve Howard (three for eight) mopped up the reply for 93.

Uppermill built on their LCB Cup first-round victory in their previous outing by getting off the mark in the league.

The match against Friarmere at Slack Lane was reduced to 38 overs per side to allow underfoot conditions to dry, and the visitors managed 151 for six, with overseas amateur Daelon Campbell hitting a vital 60 not out.

Andrew Jones, who was Uppermill's skipper for the day in the absence of Michael Brooks, then bagged six for 27 as Friarmere were dismissed for 96.

Micklehurst's West Indies overseas amateur, Alton Beckford, struck his maiden Saddleworth League ton, a fine 123, but he was unable to prevent Stayley from registering a six-wicket success at Castle Lane.

Half-centuries from pro Hamza Nadeem (65 not out), Oral Rankine (56) and captain Steve Bird (51 not out) helped deny the hosts.

Austerlands, despite restricting Moorside to 155, suffered their first loss in the league this term.

They were dismissed for 145, with Kyle Hodnett taking a season's-best haul of five for 37.

Pakistani paid man Rehan Rafiq scored 47 out of 264 for seven and then picked up six for 42 as his Glodwick side beat Shaw by 80 runs at Holebottom Clough.